Orlando Magic's Vucevic named NBA All-Star for second time
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 24: Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic drives to the basket between Marvin Williams and Brook Lopez #11 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half of an NBA basketball first round playoff game at The Field Ho
ORLANDO, Fla. - Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic has been named to the 2021 NBA All-Star team, the National Basketball Association announced Tuesday.
Vucevic got an emotional lift prior to tipoff when news broke that the center was chosen as a reserve for the March 7 All-Star Game. The 7-footer, Orlando’s only all-star since 2012 and its sixth multi-time all-star, came into Tuesday averaging a career-best 24.1 points and 11.7 rebounds.
The 70th NBA All-Star Game will take place in Atlanta, Georgia, with on-court action beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET and televised on TNT. Vucevic and the rest of the All-Star reserves were selected by NBA head coaches.
It marks the second time that Vucevic has been selected as an NBA All-Star during his career. He also earned NBA All-Star honors in 2019.
Vucevic’s biggest area of improvement has been his 3-point shooting. Not only did Vucevic enter Tuesday shooting a career-best 40.5% from 3-point range; he also had already hit 79 shots from beyond the arc — just 19 fewer than his career-best total.
Vucevic becomes the sixth player to be named an NBA All-Star multiple times while wearing a Magic uniform, joining Shaquille O’Neal, Anfernee Hardaway, Tracy McGrady, Grant Hill, and Dwight Howard.
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